Rescue Me

Part 12

There were only two further customers as Jesse waited. Watching Kayla as she moved around, closing up, he was impressed. In a marked change from last night she moved with energy and confidence. She looked to be in complete control. Helping her close the shutters again a few minutes later he asked “do you work late every night?”

Kayla kept her eyes down as she secured the lock “no I close at six on the week end.”

Jesse nodded but didn’t say anything else.

Kayla sighed as she dropped her keys into her bag and Jesse looked at her, puzzled. She lifted her head, but he noticed she didn’t look at him and her voice was flat as she said “let’s go.”

They walked along in silence for a while, before Kayla asked “do you work the same shift every day?”

Surprised, Jesse looked down at her for a second, wondering what had prompted the question. Then he turned his head to face forward again “no not always.”  

A few seconds later she asked “what’s your rank in the police force?” 

 “I’m a sergeant.”

“So you wear a uniform?”

“Yes”

“Do you like being a cop?”

“Do you always ask so many questions?” he countered with a hint of a smile.

She grinned “no, normally I get answers that contain more than the bare minimum so I don’t need to.”

Smiling properly now, he said “fair call. I guess I’m just not used to people asking.”

“So you don’t have friends, a girlfriend, family who want to know about you?” 

Looking straight ahead again, his expression was grim “no.”

He could feel Kayla’s eye’s on him. She said in a quiet voice “sorry.”

Jesse looked over at her “why?”

She shrugged “I have more family than I can do with sometimes, but I wouldn’t know what to do without them, I forget not everyone is so lucky.”

“So what about you” he asked, trying to steer the conversation away from himself “any boyfriend?”

Stopping as they reached her house she turned to face him “no, no boyfriend.”

“How come?”

Kayla laughed “I don’t know, why don’t you have a girlfriend?” 

But Jesse didn’t laugh nor did he answer. He couldn’t talk about it. Stepping back he gestured towards her house “you’re right now.” Then pushing his hands into his pockets he turned away

“Would you like to come in for a drink?” she asked.

Turning briefly, without meeting her eyes he said “nah, I’ve got to go.”

He heard her call out “thanks” and he held up a hand to indicate he’d heard but kept walking.